Bentworth: 01420 571 322|Southsea: 023 9241 4370

Are open plan kitchens here to stay?

Kitchen trends are constantly changing and evolving. Are open plan kitchens here to stay? Well, it is still very much in vogue with many of our clients, regardless of whether they are building and extending or combining rooms using traditional handmade painted kitchen designs or modern state of the art German contemporary styles . Hence, the answer is a resounding yes! An open plan kitchen is a great solution to more living space with out the need to extend.

Contemporary kitchen designed and fitted by Beau-Port Kitchens combined space to relax and socialise and featured a state of the art Falmec extraction system

Today's, busy world means we have less time. An open plan space provides the perfect environment for family and friends to get together and exchange ideas. Developing unique zones within the space means you can make the layout work for you and your lifestyle. People are sometimes put off the idea of open plan living by the thought of cooking smells, steam and condensation. Today's technology in ventilation and air purification easily resolves these issues. The Falmec e.ion is a great example. Beautiful & stylish, this Italian designed extractor is also a stunning light and air purifier, which can be positioned anywhere in the room and is not dependant on ugly or costly venting. The Falmec e.ion will create a focal point in modern state of the art kitchens and give a contemporary twist to traditional hand painted shaker style.

Noise from appliances can also be a concern. However, there are low noise dishwashers, extractors and washing machine on the market. Therefore, research is important when when choosing white goods to ensure they fulfil all your needs if noise is an issue. Lighting is a good way of focusing the individual zones and their purpose. So, whether you are including cooking, dinning and or relaxing space these are all easily identifiable. Different levels with in the space also help to break up the area without creating physical and social barriers.

If you don't have the luxury of a separate living room, then a closed kitchen may be a better solution. A good designer can pack a lot into a compact kitchen. Depending on the shape of the room, it could still incorporate a small eating area by creating a multifunctional peninsular which incorporates storage.

Rooms in new houses are getting smaller. This is particularly evident in starter homes and apartments. Therefore, an open plan kitchen, living, dinning and cooking space is often the only solution. Clever planning and design are key to this being successful.

Bigger homes with larger rooms have more flexibility. An L shaped open plan room provides a great design solution with the kitchen zone in one end of the L and the living space in the other. The dinning area floats in the middle breaking up the two zones, reducing noise from either zone, creating a sense of privacy to the living area but still providing flow and an open plan environment which creates a feeling of light, space and well-being.

Creating open plan living without extending


Bentworth Showroom

2 & 3 Bellhanger Enterprises,
GU34 5QZ

Telephone: 01420 571322

Southsea Showroom

33b Marmion Road,

Telephone: 023 9241 4370